De-reeling apparatus for electrical components

ABSTRACT

Electrical components having a wire lead extending from each end are arranged in taped strips with the leads spaced in like determined intervals. The arranged spacing of the leads from each other is customarily either two hundred thousandths of an inch, three-eighths of an inch or four hundred thousandths of an inch; however, other pitches may be used. In this invention a dereeling apparatus is provided for automatically feeding a taped strip of said electronic components with leads arranged in a determined spacing to an adjustable wire cutting mechanism whereby the leads are cut to a desired and selected length from the component body. After cutting the leads, the electrical components are delivered to a chute whereby they are fed in an aligned manner to other apparatus such as grouping, bending and/or counting mechanisms. One type of processing apparatus may be bending apparatus similar to that shown in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 8,192 filed Feb. 3, 1970 in the name of Martin G. Heller and Donald D. Kelly.

United States Patent Heller et al.

[54] DE-REELING APPARATUS FOR ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS [72] Inventors:Martin G. Heller, 78 Warren Road, West Orange, NJ. 07052; Donald Kelly,19 Mitchell Ave., Roseland, NJ. 07068 [22] Filed: July 15, 1970 [21]Appl. No.: 54,926

[52] US. Cl ..83/23, 83/165, 83/411 R, 83/423, 83/443, 83/449, 83/925 R[51] Int. Cl. ..B26d 4/11 [58] Field of Search ..83/411 R, 410, 23, 165,423, 83/433, 449, 649, 925 R; 221/30, 71

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS I 2,929,289 3/1960 Gorecki..83/41l 3,421,284 1/1969 Zemek ..221/30 X 2,854,054 9/1958 Gross..221/71 X 3,100,830 8/1963 Hagner ..227/85 X 3,057,528 10/1962 Cole etal ..22l/30 X Oct.31,1972

[57] ABSTRACT Electrical components having a wire lead extending fromeach end are arranged in taped strips with the leads spaced in likedetermined intervals. The arranged spacing of the leads from each otheris customarily either two hundred thousandths of an inch, three-eighthsof an inch or four hundred thousandths of an inch; however, otherpitches may be used. In this invention a de-reeling apparatus isprovided for automatically feeding a taped strip of said electroniccomponents with leads arranged in a determined spacing to an adjustablewire cutting mechanism whereby the leads are cut to a desired andselected length from the component body. After cutting the leads, theelectrical components are delivered to a chute whereby they are fed inan aligned manner to other apparatus such as grouping,

bending and/0r counting mechanisms. One type of processing apparatus maybe bending apparatus similar to that shown in US. patent applicationSer. No. 8,192 filed Feb. 3, 1970 in the name of Martin G. Heller andDonald D. Kelly.

Primary Examiner-games M. Meister 10 Claims, 5 Drawing FiguresAttorney-Ralph R. o erts I w """h )0 2 I4 Q 7 g I Q u l 4.1. I

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INVENTOR.

MARTIN G. HELLER BY DONALD 0. KELLY AGENT PATENTEDumm m2 SHEET 2 BF 4 Wm"In "III" Wm I NVENTOR. MARTIN G.HELLER DONALD D. KELLY FIG.2

AGENT PATENTEU B I973 3.701.298

sum 3 or 4 HINT/W IN VENTOR.

MARTIN a. HELLER 1 y DONALD D. KELLY AGENT PATENTEU our 3 1 I972 SHEET tOf 4 DE-REELING APPARATUS FOR ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS BACKGROUND OF THEINVENTION 1. Field of the Invention With reference to the classificationof art as established in the U.S. Patent Office, the art to which thepresent invention pertains is found generally in the class titled, WireWorking, and particularly in the subclass of combined machines, and thefurther subclass of wire cutting and straightening."

2. Description of the Prior Art The processing of electronic componentshaving lead wires extending therefrom is shown in several U.S. patentsamong which are those for cutting and shaping of wire leads asexemplified in U.S. Pat. No. 2,571,078 to VOLLMER issuing Oct. 9, 1951and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,396,758 to HALL issuing on Aug. 13, 1968. OtherU.S. patents of note include U.S. Pat. No. 3,165,126 to GARTNER issuingon Jan. 12, 1965; U.S. Pat. No. 3,414,024 to ANDERSON issuing Dec. 3,1968, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,041,907 to GALLAGHER issuing on July 3, 1962.The patent to Gallagher is included to show the state of the art as toadjustable slitting mechanism. In particular, the processing and shapingof the leads of electronic components as shown in HALL US. Pat. No.3,396,758 are primarily adapted for transistors and the like in whichelectrical components having their leads extending from one end of thebody are transported through cutting and shaping mechanism with theleads all extending one direction. Insofar as is known, except for thepresent invention, there is no known apparatus for automatically cuttingto a selected length the leads from electronic components such asresistors, diodes and condensers. It is, of course, assumed that thesecomponentshave one lead extending from each end and that they arearranged in a taped spaced array.

The development and rapidly expanding use of the many types ofelectrical apparatus has, on the whole, caused this equipment to beprogressively much more sophisticated and has required that theelectrical components used therein have their leads cut to a precisedetermined length. After cutting, the leads are often shaped intodetermined configurations for precise mounting in printed circuit boardsand the like. Apparatus for the precise cutting to determined lengths ofthe leads of the components is necessary so that subsequent bending orshaping of the leads may be provided by equipment using bending dieapparatus similar to that in U.S. Pat. No. 3,396,758 referred to aboveand in the U.S. patent application Ser. No. 8,192 of Feb. 3, 1970.

A de-reeler mechanism for the automatic cutting of the component leadsto selected lengths is provided in this invention. Customarily theseelectrical components have their leads carried by tapes with the leadwires spaced on selected spacings such as two hundred thousandths,three-eighths and four hundred thousandths of an inch. The cuttingandfeeding mechanism of this invention provided in this de-reelingapparatus accommodates components whose leads are so spaced withoutdisassembly of the apparatus or damage to either the apparatus orcomponents. This apparatus provides means for adjusting the cuttingmechanism to any position within selected limits whereby the leads ofthe components are cut to any determined or desired length within thegross adjusting limitations of the cutting mechanism.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION A de-reeling apparatus includes asupport shaft upon which is removably mounted a reel of electricalcomponents arranged in a tape strip. These components have their leadsarranged in a parallel manner and conventionally at determined spacingsof two hundred thousandths, three-eights or four hundred thousandths ofan inch. Special other spacings, of course, can be accommodated, eitherwith the same feeding arrangement or with special feeding wheels. Thesetaped components are fed as a strip to and over a shaft carrying a pairof guide collars, then through a guide chute and thence to a pair ofcutting mechanisms in which toothed wheels receive and carry the leadspast cooperating knife blades. The tooth configuration in the wheel ismade with a specific recess in which the rear wall of the recess is aportion of a radian and the other wall is spaced a determined distanceforwardly and at a slope of about 45. These toothed wheels are carriedupon a shaft driven at a determined speed by means of an electric motorand the like. Each cutting mechanism includes a knife and wheelarrangement carried by and on a block which is adjustably mounted on aguide shaft. On this shaft each cutting mechanism may be moved towardsor from each other to provide selective cutting of the leads of theelectrical components to a determined length. After cutting the leads ofthe components, the de-reeling sprocket wheels deliver the now looseelectrical components with their extending leads cut to a detenninedlength to a receiving means which may be a zig-zag chute wherein theloose components are slowed to maintain an aligned arrangement tocounting apparatus, bins or to other processing equipment.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide, and it doesprovide, a de-reeling apparatus for taped electrical components whereinsaid tapes are fed to a pair of adjustably and selectively spacedtoothed cutting mechanisms whereat the leads are cut to a desired lengthafter which they are delivered to receiving of further processingapparatus.

It is a further object of this invention to provide, and it doesprovide, a de-reeling apparatus for electrical components wherein thefeeding wheels have their toothed configurations spaced and contoured soas to accommodate any lead spacing of two hundred thousandths,three-eights or four hundred thousandths of an inch without alterationor damage to either the wheel or component lead.

INTENT OF THE DISCLOSURE Although the following disclosure offered forpublic dissemination is detailed to insure adequacy and aid inunderstanding of the invention, this is not intended to prejudice thatpurpose of a patent which is to cover each new inventive concept thereinno matter how it may later be disguised by variations in form oradditions or further improvements. The claims at the end hereof areintended as the chief aid toward this purpose, as it is these that meetthe requirement of pointing out the parts, improvements or combinationsin which the inventive concepts are found.

There has been chosen a specific embodiment of the de-reeling apparatusfor feeding the leads of electrical components which are carried ondetermined spacings by tapes and also showing a preferred means forcutting the lead wires of said components to selected lengths when theyare fed as a taped strip to the apparatus. This specific embodiment hasbeen chosen for the purposes of illustration and description as shown inthe accompanying drawings wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 represents a plan view of thede-reeling apparatus of this invention and looking downwardly thereonand showing the arrangement of the mechanism for feeding tapedelectrical components from a delivery reel to and over a guide bar andinto the dereeling and lead cutting mechanism;

FIG. 2 represents, in an enlarged scale, a side view of the de-reelingapparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 represents an enlarged, somewhat fragmentary plan view of theapparatus of FIG. 1, and showing the preferred arrangement of theessential components adapted for adjustably cutting the wire leads oftaped electrical components;

FIG. 4 represents an enlarged plan view, partly in section, and showinga wire cutting mechanism as it is adjustably mounted upon a drive shaftand a guide shaft, and

FIG. 5 represents a side view, partly in section, and showing the wirecutting mechanism, this view being taken on the line 5-5 of FIGS. 3 and4.

In the following description and in the claims various details will beidentified by specific names for convenience; these names, however, areintended to be generic in their application. Corresponding referencecharacters refer to like members throughout the several figures of thedrawings.

The drawings accompanying'and forming part of, this specificationdisclose certain details of construction for the purpose of explanationof the broader aspects of the invention, but it should be understoodthat structural details may be modified in various respects withoutdeparture from the concept and principles of the invention and that theinvention may be incorporated in other structural forms than shown.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the de-reelingapparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown a plan and side view of theassembled apparatus wherein a base carries a back support member 12 uponwhich is mounted the feeding and cutting mechanism of the presentinvention. Front and rear plates 13 and 14 form the side members of theframe disposed to carry the cutting and feeding section. Attached toside plate 14 is a support arm 16 which extends outwardly and upwardlyuntil joined with a downwardly extending arm 18. The lower end of thisarm is disposed to carry a reel 20, shown in phantom outline in FIG. 2,of electrical components such as resistors, condensers, diodes, and thelike. These components have their leads carried in tapes in a spacedarray. A shaft 21 is fixedly mounted on the lower end of arm 18 so as toextend at generally right angles to said arm. A pair of cones 22 iscarried on shaft 21 and provides the journals upon which the reel isrotated. A

strip 23 of taped components is fed from the reel to and over a guideshaft 24 on which is adjustably mounted a pair of collars 25. Thesecollars provide guide means for aligning the bodies of the componentsand also provide a support for the component leads as the tape is fedover the collars 25. From these collars the tape is fed to and undershaft 26 upon which is also adjustably mounted a pair of collars 27 likethe collars on shaft 24. The strip is then fed to and between pairs ofupper and lower guides 30 and 32 carried in spaced array on post 33 and34. These posts are mounted on side plate 14 and are adapted to permitthe guides to be adjustably positioned so as to act as side guides forthe component bodies while supporting the wire leads of the tape as theyare fed to and under a pair of upper deflector guides 38 and to andbetween a pair of adjustably cutting knives whereat the leads aretrimmed to a determined length in mechanism to be hereinafter more fullydescribed in conjunction with FIGS. 4 and 5.

After being cut to a determined length the now trimmed and separatedelectrical components are dropped into a receiving device which may be apair of downwardly directed zig-zag guide strips which are shown asbeing carried by the downwardly angled support 12. These guide strips 40and 42 are carried and adjustably disposed on the upright support 12 sothat they provide a zig-zag track 44 in which the components, afterbeing cut to length, are fed by gravity to other operations or storage.The zig-zag chute provides a guide means whereby the components areslowed in their descent so as to maintain their alignment as they slidedown the chute. The chute may also act as a storage means as the trimmedcomponents are received by other apparatus not shown. The chute is notnecessary when the trimmed components are dropped into a box orcontainer.

Referring now to the wire cutting mechanism shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 itis to be noted that as one looks downwardly upon the apparatus as inFIG. 3 the guides 30 lay in the same plane and above the guides 32 andare carried by supporting posts 33 and 34 extending outwardly from theside frame 14. Nuts 45 and 46 are shown as retaining the guides to andon the posts 33 and 34. The upper and lower guide strips 30 and 32 arespaced so as to just straddle and engage the ends of the body of theelectrical components so as to maintain the components in a guidedrelationship after which they are fed to and between wire cuttingmechanism as seen in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. Upon rightand left-hand blocks 50and 52 are carried like knives 54 arranged in rightand left-handrelationship. These knives are positioned and retained against the sidesof the blocks by means of screws 56. A guide shaft 60 is fixedly mountedbetween the side plate members 13 and 14, which plates are maintained ina spaced relationship be means of back member 62. The blocks 50 and 52have bores 64 formed therein which are sized so that they are slidableon the shaft 60. These blocks are adjustably retained in a selectedclamped position on this shaft by means of thumb screws 66 as best seenin FIGS. 4 and 5.

A drive shaft 70 is rotatably carried in plates 13 and 14 and has akeyway 72 formed along one side of the shaft. This shaft is rotated asin FIG. 3 by means of a motor 76 which is connected to shaft 70 by acoupling 78. This shaft 70 as shown is rotated in the directionindicated by the arrows, which as particularly seen in FIG. 5 is in acounterclockwise direction. Slidable on drive shaft 70 is a bushing 80which is rotatably mounted in a sleeve bearing 82 which is preferably apress fit in a bore provided in block 52. This arrangement is bestexemplified in FIGS. 4 and 5. This bearing 82 is just slightly longerthan the thickness of block 52. Bushing 80 has a hex head 84 on one endand a threaded other end. A nut 86 is mounted on the threaded end ofbushing 80 and is caused to engage and draw a toothed wire advancingwheel 90 tightly against the end of the bearing 82. This wheel 90 has aseries of equally spaced notches 94 arranged around the periphery of thewheel with each notch having a rear face being a radian of the wheel.The notch is of a small depth of approximately one-eighth of an inch andextends forwardly about this amount to a forward slope at approximately45 angle to the outer surface of the wheel 90. These notches 94 arearranged so that each rear face provides an abutting shoulder disposedto engage the wire lead of an electrical component. For wire leadspacings of two hundred thousandths, threeeighths and four hundredthousandths of an inch the notches 94 are spaced so that from one rearface to the rear face of a next notch there is a distance ofapproximately two hundred thousandths of an inch. From this same rearface to the forward slope of the next rearward notch the distance is atleast three-eights of an inch. From one rear face to a second forward orrearward face the distance is approximately four hundred thousandths ofan inch. If wire spacing or pitches other than the above-mentioned areprovided specially notched wheels may be required. Even so, the cuttingmechanism is provided with the length adjustment above-described.

Rotational drive from shaft 70 to wheel 90 is provided by means of aslot 96 formed in the wheel 90. This slot extends outwardly of bore 97for a selected distance. A drive pin 98 is a light press fit in a slot99 made in bushing 80, said pin being of a size so as to be a slip fitin slot 96 and a sliding fit in keyway 72 provided in shaft 70. Thisdrive pin 98 in an assembled condition is retained by the tightened nut86 on the outside and by the bushing 80 and bearing 82 on the inside.The trapped drive pin 98 becomes a drive dog insuring a positive drivemeans for wheel 90 while at the same time permitting the block 52 to beslid along shaft 70 while at the same time pin 98 is sliding in keyway72.

USE AND OPERATION A reel of electrical components is rotatably carriedon shaft 21 and is centered and aligned for feeding into the guideapparatus by means of cones 22 adjustably positioned on this shaft.Electrical components whose bodies 110 have wire leads 112 and 114extending from each end of the bodies are maintained in a determinedspaced relationship and alignment by means of tapes 116 and 118.Conventionally these wire leads are sequentially spaced at occurrencesor pitches of two hundred, three hundred seventy-five, and four hundredthousandths of an inch. From reel 20 the taped components as a strip 23are brought to an over shaft 24 and the guide collars 25 adjustablymounted thereon. These collars are positioned so as to provide guidemeans for the bodies 110 of the components and also act as a redirectingsupport for the lead wires of the components. From shaft 24 the strip ofcomponents is fed to an under shaft 26 and collars 27 adjustably mountedthereon. These collars 27 in the manner of collars 25 provide guidemeans for the bodies of the components and also provide a path and guidefor the wire leads. From shaft 26 and collar 27 the components arebrought in way of and between upper and lower guide plates 30 and 32.The vertically disposed space between the plates provide a guideway forthe wire leads while at the same time the lateral spacing on posts 33and 34 provide shoulder guide means for the bodies 110 of the componentsas the strip of taped components is fed forwardly to and in way of thelead cutting mechanisms.

From upper and lower guides 30 and 32 the strip 23 is brought in way ofupper deflectors 38 from which the wire leads are fed in way of thetoothed wheels 90. The wire lead of a component drops into a notch 94,and as the wheel 90 is rotated the wire lead is caused to be brought inway of the cutting blade 54, whereupon the wire, as it is retained bythe notch 94, is neatly sheared by the cutting blade 54 as the notchpasses thereby. Each of the wire leads 112 and 114 is severed at adetermined position between the component body 110 and an outer carryingtape 118 or 116. Through passageways 121 and 122 in blocks 50 and 52 aredischarged the tape and attached severed excess wire ends remainingafter the dereeling. As seen in FIG. 1 the tape 116 and the excess wireends from leads 114 are fed through passageway 122 while at the sametime tape 118 and the excess wire ends from leads 112 are fed throughpassageway 121. After passing through the passageways these scrapportions are discharged out the back of the machine. The trimmedelectrical components with their leads cut to a determined length aredischarged separately and in single file into the guideway 44 where theymay be fed in a zig-zag path to other mechanism which is disposed toreceive the now trimmed electrical component and to process thesecomponents by bending, shaping, accumulating by counting and the like.If the components are to be simply accumulated for later mounting inassemblies, the zig-zag chute need not be used and hence may be absent.

It is to be noted that the blocks 50 and 52 are moved along guide shaft60 to any desired position whereat the cutting line as established bythe face of wheel 90 passing blade 54 also establishes the desiredlength of lead extending from the body 1 10 of the electricalcomponents. Thumb screws 66 are then tightened to fix the blocks 50 and52 at the selected positions on shaft 60. When motor 76 is then actuatedthe shaft is rotated in the direction of the arrow as seen in FIG. 5.The notches 94 of the two cutting wheels are aligned so that when a wirelead 112 or 114 is brought in way of the notch the wire lead of thecomponent is pushed into the notch. This rotating wheel, as it moves thelead wire forwardly, pulls the taped strip 23 forwardly until the leadwires are cut. In the meantime, one or more subsequent components andtheir lead wires are engaged or are being engaged by following notchesin the wheel so that as one lead wire is cut another lead wire is beingmoved forwardly. The cut lengths of leads extending from each side ofthe body is a matter of selection and is regulated by the positioning ofblocks 50 and 52 on the shaft 60.

The notches 94 are spaced and contoured on wheel 90 so that any tapedstrip of components whose lead wires are spaced at occurrences oftwo-tenths, threeeighths, or four-tenths of an inch may be fed to andthrough the de-reeling apparatus without a change in the wheels 90.Special spacing of wire leads may require toothed wheels having notches94 spaced other than above-described. The desired length of lead wiresis determined and by merely loosening thumb screws 66 and retighteningafter blocks 50 and 52 have been removed to the desired position onshaft 60 the de-reeling of the taped components is accomplished. Speedcontrols and start and stop switches as well as other instruments may bemounted in and on a console box 150 as desired.

CONCLUSION Although the above description and drawings show and describea preferred embodiment it is to be noted that instead of the gear motor76 whose speed is adjusted to that desired for the de-reeling mechanismit is also contemplated this motor be eliminated and that othermechanisms whose power is derived from other operational apparatus maydrive the drive shaft 70. For example, from cutting and shapingapparatus such as is shown in the above-identified US. Pat. No. 3,396,758, a ratchet mechanism, a solenoid or a pneumatic cylinder may be usedto rotate shaft 70 in a manner which insures that the de-reelingoperation is performed in precise synchronism with a lead formingoperation or the like. lt is also to be noted that although the spacingof leads on tapes are most often at like spacing intervals, viz: all attwo-tenths inch, or threeeights inch or four-tenths inch, it is alsoknown to provide a taped strip of components wherein the spacing mayhave two or even all three of these spacings. The toothed advancingwheels 90 above-described, are disposed to accommodate any randomselection of these spacings and to receive and feed these tapedcomponents to and through the adjustable cutting mechanisms. Thecomponents usually trimmed are for electrical circuits and the like, butof course, any component having a body portion and a wire lead extendingfrom each end of the body and with the leads carried by tapes aredisposed for de-reeling by the aboveidentified apparatus.

Terms such as left, right, up, down, bottom, top, front, back, in, out,clockwise, counterclockwise, and the like are applicable to theembodiment shown and described in conjunction with the drawings. Theseterms, as used, are merely for the purposes of description and do notnecessarily apply to the position in which the de-reeling apparatus forcutting the wire leads of electronic components may be constructed orused.

The conception of the de-reeling apparatus and its many applications isnot limited to the specific embodiment shown but departures therefrommay be made within the scope of the accompanying claims and withoutsacrificing its chief advantages and protection is sought to thebroadest extent the prior art allows.

What is claimed is:

l. A de-reeling apparatus for cutting to like determined lengths theleads of electrical components and the like characterized in that theyhave like body lengths and have at least one wire lead extending fromeach end of a body, said leads being attached at their outer extremitiesto taped strips and spaced in like intervals, said de-reeling apparatusincluding: (a) means for delivering a supply strip of taped componentmembers to said apparatus; (b) opposed parallel guide means adjustablyspaced so as to receive the taped component members from the deliverysource and to engage the wire leads between said opposed parallel guidemeans while these guide means engage both ends of the advancingcomponent bodies to slidably retain the bodies so as to feed said tapedcomponents in a determined alignment and path as the components are fedto and through the opposed guide means; (c) a pair of lead wire cuttingmechanisms each including a toothed advancing wheel carried and rotatedby a drive shaft and a knife blade carried on a support block anddisposed to mate with the toothed wheel so as to shear a lead of theguided component between said body and the outboard tape support of saidlead as and when said lead is received into a toothed recess in saidwheel and is brought in way of and past the cutting edge of the knifeblade; (d) means to rotate the drive shaft and the toothed advancingwheels mounted thereon at a selected speed, and (f) means for singlydischarging the now trimmed and separated component members from thetoothed wheel.

2. A de-reeling apparatus as in claim 1 in which each wire cuttingmechanism is carried by a block member which is slidable on and along afixed support member said block member being releasably clamped to saidsupport member to provide a desired cutting length to a wire lead.

3. A de-reeling apparatus as in claim 1 in which the drive shaft forrotating the toothed wheels has a longitudinal keyway formed therein andthe toothed wheels are carried by and on a bushing slidable on the shaftand rotatably mounted in a bearing in said block member, and in which adrive pin is carried in and by the bushing with one end of the pinengaging a slot in the toothed wheel and the other end entering and sliding in the keyway in the drive shaft.

4. A de-reeling apparatus as in claim 1 in which the toothed wheels haveequally spaced notches on occurrences of two-hundred-thousandths of aninch spacing, said notch being of a small depth and of a width which issufficient to receive in each notch leads spaced on two-tenths inchcenters and in every other notch wire leads spaced on three-eights of aninch centers as well as those leads on four-tenths inches spacing.

5. A de-reeling apparatus as in claim 1 in which the opposed guide meansare rail-like members which are carried on support posts and areadjustably mounted thereon with retaining means adapted to provide adetermined spacing between guide rails said spacing accomodating likebody lengths carried by the reel of components said spacing beingchanged to accomodate a different body length when found on another reelof like taped components.

6. A de-reeling apparatus as in claim 1 in which each of the lead wirecutting mechanisms include a wire guide having its guiding edgecontoured so that when guide is in mounted condition the edge is in wireretaining close proximity to a portion of the periphery of the toothedadvancing wheel the guiding edge engaging and retaining each advancedlead in the recess of the wheel as the lead is fed to and through thewire cutting mechanism.

7. A de-reeling apparatus as in claim 6 in which the guide rails aremade so as to continue to retain and guide the bodies by their ends andopposed slides of the wire leads as the components are fed though thecutting mechanism and to a-discharge means.

8. A de-reeling apparatus and in claim 1 in which the wire cuttingmechanisms are carried by blocks having integral means carried by saidblocks for the discharge of the trimmed tape and attached surplus leadwire ends, each wire cutting mechanisms being selectively movable to adesired cutting position on a support bar carried by said apparatus.

9. A method for sequentially de-reeling and trimming to like determinedlengths the wire leads of electrical components and the like as carriedin taped strips and in a like spaced array, the method of de-reelingincluding the steps of: (a) supplying a strip of like taped componentsso as to permit a smooth delivery of the strip; (b) feeding said stripof taped components in a predetermined path; (c) guiding said tapedstrip by means of opposed parallel rail guide members adjustably spacedso as to slidably engage both of the ends of the like bodies of thecomponent members carried in the advancing taped strip; (d) supportingsaid tape strip by spacing said opposed parallel rail guide members soas to slidably engage two sides of the lead wires of the componentsmembers; (e) advancing the tape strip into a pair of cutting mechanismsadjustably movable to removably secured desired wire cutting positions;(f) rotating a pair of toothed advancing wheels so as to receive andengage each wire lead of an electrical component in a notch in saidwheel; (g) retaining the wire lead in said notches by a rail guidecontoured and positioned adjacent a portion of the periphery of thetoothed wheel; (h) advancing said lead while in said notch and in way ofand past a cooperating cutting knife so as to shear cut the wire leadbetween said body and the tape strip to which the lead is attached, and(i) discharging the trimmed and separated component member.

10. The method of de-reeling electrical components as in claim 9 inwhich the like-spaced components are fed to toothed advancing wheelswhose notches are spaced in two-hundred-thousandths of an inch centerswith said notches having a width sufficient to permit entry into everyother notch of wire leads spaced on three-eighths centers.

1. A de-reeling apparatus for cutting to like determined lengths theleads of electrical components and the like characterized in that theyhave like body lengths and have at least one wire lead extending fromeach end of a body, said leads being attached at their outer extremitiesto taped strips and spaced in like intervals, said de-reeling apparatusincluding: (a) means for delivering a supply strip of taped componentmembers to said apparatus; (b) opposed parallel guide means adjustablyspaced so as to receive the taped component members from the deliverysource and to engage the wire leads between said opposed parallel guidemeans while these guide means engage both ends of the advancingcomponent bodies to slidably retain the bodies so as to feed said tapedcomponents in a determined alignment and path as the components are fedto and through the opposed guide means; (c) a pair of lead wire cuttingmechanisms each including a toothed advancing wheel carried and rotatedby a drive shaft and a knife blade carried on a support block anddisposed to mate with the toothed wheel so as to shear a lead of theguided component between said body and the outboard tape support of saidlead as and when said lead is received into a toothed recess in saidwheel and is brought in way of and past the cutting edge of the knifeblade; (d) means to rotate the drive shaft and the toothed advancingwheels mounted thereon at a selected speed, and (f) means for singlydischarging the now trimmed and separated component members from thetoothed wheel.
 2. A de-reeling apparatus as in claim 1 in which eachwire cutting mechanism is carried by a block member which is slidable onand along a fixed support member said block member being releasablyclamped to said support member to provide a desired cutting length to awire lead.
 3. A de-reeling apparatus as in claim 1 in which the driveshaft for rotating the toothed wheels has a longitudinal keyway formedtherein and the toothed wheels are carried by and on a bushing slidableon the shaft and rotatably mounted in a bearing in said block member,and in which a drive pin is carried in and by the bushing with one endof the pin engaging a slot in the toothed wheel and the other endentering and sliding in the keyway in the drive shaft.
 4. A de-reelingapparatus as in claim 1 in which the toothed wheels have equally spacednotches on occurrences of two-hundred-thousandths of an inch spacing,said notch being of a small depth and of a width which is sufficient toreceive in each notch leads spaced on two-tenths inch centers and inevery other notch wire leads spaced on three-eighths of an inch centersas well as those leads on four-tenths inches spacing.
 5. A de-reelingapparatus as in claim 1 in which the opposed guide means are rail-likemembers which are carried on support posts and are adjustably mountedthereon with retaining means adapted to provide a determined spacingbetween guide rails said spacing accomodating like body lengths carriedby the reel of components said spacing being changed to accomodate adifferent body length when found on another reel of like tapedcomponents.
 6. A de-reeling apparatus as in claim 1 in which each of thelead wire cutting mechanisms include a wire guide having its guidingedge contoured so that when guide is in mounted condition the edge is inwire retaining close proximity to a portion of the periphery of thetoothed advancing wheel the guiding edge engaging and retaining eachadvanced lead in the recess of the wheel as the lead is fed to andthrough the wire cutting mechanism.
 7. A de-reeling apparatus as inclaim 6 in which the guide rails are made so as to continue to retainand guide the bodies by their ends and opposed sides of the wire leadsas the components are fed though the cutting mechanism and to adischarge means.
 8. A de-reeling apparatus and in claim 1 in which thewire cutting mechanisms are carried by blocks having integral meanscarried by said blocks for the discharge of the trimmed tape andattached surplus lead wire ends, each wire cutting mechanisms beingselectively movable to a desired cutting position on a support barcarried by said apparatus.
 9. A method for sequentially de-reeling andtrimming to like determined lengths the wire leads of electricalcomponents and the like as carried in taped strips and in a like spacedarray, the method of de-reeling including the steps of: (a) supplying astrip of like taped components so as to permit a smooth delivery of thestrip; (b) feeding said strip of taped components in a predeterminedpath; (c) guiding said taped strip by means of opposed parallel railguide members adjustably spaced so as to slidably engage both of theends of the like bodies of the component members carried in theadvancing taped strip; (d) supporting said tape strip by spacing saidopposed parallel rail guide members so as to slidably engage two sidesof the lead wires of the components members; (e) advancing the tapestrip into a pair of cutting mechanisms adjustably movable to removablysecured desired wire cutting positions; (f) rotating a pair of toothedadvancing wheels so as to receive and engage each wire lead of anelectrical component in a notch in said wheel; (g) retaining the wirelead in said notches by a rail guide contoured and positioned adjacent aportion of the periphery of the toothed wheel; (h) advancing said leadwhile in said notch and in way of and past a cooperating cutting knifeso as to shear cut the wire lead between said body and the tape strip towhich the lead is attached, and (i) discharging the trimmed andseparated component member.
 10. The method of de-reeling electricalcomponents as in claim 9 in which the like-spaced components are fed totoothed advancing wheels whose notches are spaced intwo-hundred-thousandths of an inch centers with said notches having awidth sufficient to permit entry into every other notch of wire leadsspaced on three-eighths centers.